There were a lot of things "missing" from STJ in the 60's,70's and 80's -- yet it seemed to be a really peaceful and happy place -- How lucky we are now that so many people decided STJ was "missing" Condos, Timeshares, huge Rental Villas, Gated beaches, VLTs, more roads, strip malls, security gates on the ferry dock, and generally lots of development to 'upgrade' the visitors experience.
Maybe what STJ is missing is an effective Planning Dept. and Land Use Plan - or maybe it needs more development to make it better than it once was.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ditto.

What's missing is that more should be missing.

Life on St. John is great because of what is missing. Let the parking sort it self out. If parking becomes a limiting factor then people will not come and hence things will remain the same.

As far as food is concerned it will never happen. The merchants are screwing the people. It is bad here in STT but real bad on STJ. Again this is also self correcting. If they charge too much then people will scale back. It is what the market will bear. IT is when you have a monopoly like WAPA that you are screwed. They will not let alternate energy systems like wind mills happen. So you will need to be happy with what you can do.

Enjoy the islands. Enjoy the life. Accept what is. Fix what can be fixed!

billd

We are taking a hiatus from STJ and haven't been back in several years. That's unfortunate for us because we really love the island - as we remember it, not as what it has become. The larger portion of the island is national park - but, it is the 1/3 that's left that has gone wonky, imo. If I could wave amagic wand I'd roll back time there - maybe about 10+ years. Honestly, the only area I think we would enjoy staying right now would be Coral Bay and the sprawl is encroaching there, as well. We're watching closely and hoping that things will settle down and level out (self-correct as billd put it) and, then, we'll be back.

Was it Casey Stengel who said "that restaurant is so crowded that nobody goes there any more". Same thing could be said of STJ.

Nope, I think it was Yogi Berra. LOL

Linda J well said!

billd

I wish St. John was missing Grand Bay, Sirenusa, and all gated communities.

Me

"We have met the enemy and it is US." Pogo

"...more sports on St. John for Schools and all ages." (Luca Costello, 7 years old in a letter hand delivered to U.S. Virgin Island Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr."

http://www.usingsportforsocialchange.com/youth_of_st_john

Dean Doeling

notahippie wrote:
If you could wave your magic wand, what would you change about STJ?

I would live there and not in stinkin NY.

geez Walt, NY's not so bad.........I love St. John but I'd rather live here.

Hm...been going to STJ/USVI for many years...first time there was way too many to count. I am continually grateful that
2/3 of the island is a US National Park that continues to be pristine. Developement on other parts of the island won't keep us from visiting a place we love as the majority of time is spent in the Park on the beaches period. Food is expensive as it's got to be shipped first to the islands (STT) then over onto STJ. The boat doesn't stop there on the way to STT to deliver first. It's an island reality. Doesn't matter what island your on. For us, the USVI are perfect.

Not much missing really. I'm missing it though...:-(

I thought it was perfect, but it was our first visit. I think I understand the people who feel it is becoming over developed. I have been going to the Outerbanks of North Carolina for almost 30 years and it has broken my heart to see how developed it has become. I still love it there but we keep going further south to get away from the crowds. I have described STJ as a "Caribbean outerbanks" in that the feels so laid back. I guess they compare in more ways than one.

I wished the lease being up on maho bay was missing! 🙁
What will we do if it gets turned into condos?

EMTJEN : there is a very good thread currently on www.virgin-islands-on-line.com Forum about the efforts of the Trust For Public Land establishing a dedicated fund for the acquisition of the Maho Campground - or check the TPL.org website maybe. A good opportunity to get involved in some way should you choose to help.

billD, I have to comment on your statement that, "The merchants are screwing the people. It is bad here in STT but real bad on STJ."

I'm surprised that nobody else has risen up in righteous indignation to disqualify your statement. Business owners both large and small on our three major islands struggle daily to make ends meet but you've (as far as I know) never been a business owner here so wouldn't understand everything that goes along with it. Businesses here in the private sector struggle to remain competitive in the best of times and although a few businesses (some law firms, insurance companies to name just a couple) manage to weather a recession as huge as is this current one, the average business owner is simply struggling to stay afloat right now.

In the last two years innumerable small businesses have closed down, restaurants have closed down and a whole bunch more are quietly up for sale because the next year is gloomy to say the least. We run 18 months to two years behind where a US recession is concerned and we've not yet seen the worst of it - and since there's not going to be any major turnaround in the US economy in the immediate future, add on THAT where our island economy is concerned.

Merchants aren't screwing the people. The general economy is screwing the people. It wasn't too long ago that this forum and others were FILLED with questions from visitors planning their trips and their posts would be relegated to Pages 2 and 3 and 4 in a heartbeat. In the past year the posts have dwindled as time has gone by and now a post sits for several days on Page 1.

The VI Department of Tourism has done a great job in the face of adversity by working with the airlines and the hotels where deals are concerned but the majority of those who take advantage of these deals are suffering on their home front, have little expendable cash and are posting looking for "the cheapest places to eat/rent a car/enjoy happy hour, etc. and, don't mistake me, I don't blame them one whit.

It all has to be put into perspective. I was dunned a couple of years ago by several posters when I saw the writing on the wall and accordingly posted my concerns. Do I feel smug because I was right, do I rub it in with an, "I told you so!" stance? Of course not because I'm not that sort of person and, as a small business owner I'm right in the middle of it and see what's going on around me.

My apology, if necessary, for ranting a bit but I simply took umbrage at your generalization. Cheers!

It is hard to determine " what is screwing the people" until you see first hand know what the cost vs. income is for a particular business. There are a lot of things that determine this and a lot of variables, and as a business owner it infuriates me for someone to tell me I am "screwing the people" until they know my bottom line.

I don't mean to rant either and the prices on STJ might be higher than on STT, but unless facts are known as for the reason........it is a generalization.

Good morning everyone,
My wife and have been vacationing in STJ since 1983. We rented a home from Bill and Abagail Em brie on the east end of the Island.
You want to talk about changes, there was no gas on the east end, shipwreck's landing was a small hut, but great food and fa team was a great bartender. Blackbeard's ( now skinny legs) was a neat bar with a store that had 2 or 3 items. Salt pond bay was like our own private beach. We would spend a whole day there and see no one.
We rented a Jeep from the Senoco gas station that has been torn down. We have seen a lot of changes but one thing is for sure, STJ is still the greatest place on earth to vacation. Every time we go we try to support the island as much as we can. we eat breakfast in, lunch we stop at trunk bay and have a burger & beer from the fine woman that run the food stand who are always great. And dinner we eat out. Is it a little expensive? If you think about where you are the price is CHEAP. The people our the best, The beaches are the best, The weather is the best. as far as my wife and I, there is no place on this earth like St. John.